Frozen
by GirlwithCurls98
Summary: What happens when Kirk, Spock, and McCoy end up fighting to survive in the middle of a snowstorm? Some Spirk fluff, McCoy jokes, and tribbles! Pairing: Kirk/Spock, no smut, just adorableness.
1. A Situation

**Beta Gamma 24 - 10:48 p.m. **

_This is ridiculous. _I thought, wrapping my arms tighter around myself. _Iowa was never this cold. _ Shaking my head, I pulled out my communicator. "Captain's Log, Stardate 4526: Following our Klingon entanglement at Starbase 6, the Enterprise has traveled to a remote planet in deep space with orders to survey the planet and make an updated map of the area where a new science outpost is to be built. I beamed down to the planet accompanied by First Officer Mr. Spock and ship surgeon Dr. McCoy, only to find the planet's climate a tad…chilly. Unfortunately, one of the tribbles had made its way into the warp core systems, and Mr. Scott is unable to beam us back. For the time being, the landing party is forced to adapt, and do whatever we can to survive." I closed my communicator with a snap and turned back to the team.

"How's that shelter coming Bones?" Dr. McCoy's head popped out from the brush, shaking his head, sending water droplets flying. "It's not much, but it'll keep us relatively safe. I swear, if I ever see one of those damn tribbles again I'm going to dissect it with a rusty spoon." He grumbled.

"Doctor, may I remind you that in this weather, with the current temperature and wind chill that hypothermia will set in within fifteen minutes if we do not get undercover." Spock said in his usual clipped tone.

"Spock, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't Vulcans have a higher core temperature than humans?" I asked, shivering from the wind.

"Yes. Due to my status as a Vulcan-Human hybrid, I am able to withstand lower temperatures than pure Vulcans, but I am not immune to hypothermic shock."

Indeed, Spock was not immune and neither were we. My fingers and toes were starting to go numb, and the wind was making Bone's wizened old face look red and chapped. Spock looked the strangest of us all, trying desperately not to shiver, as if he was above every human imperfection, and the tips of his ears and nose were tinted green as the icy wind drew his Vulcan blood to the surface of his skin.

"Well, we won't be any warmer standing out here." I said and with that, we all crawled into the shelter, first Mccoy, Spock, then finally I edged my way into the small shelter Bones had made in the bushes.

As soon as we were all inside, a gust of wind blew a branch over the entrance of our shelter and it was pitch black.

"Ouch! Dammit Spock scoot over!"

"Doctor, if I were able to move I would, the fact remains that I cannot. Believe me I find this invasion of my personal space as uncomfortable as you do."

"Just shut up and move over!"

"The perimeter of this shelter is inadequate to fit our combined body masses. Perhaps if you would have put more thought into the creation of the shelter, we would not be experiencing this issue."

"Are you calling me stupid?!"

"Gentlemen!" I called out to the darkness. There was the rustling of leaves and I felt two pairs of eyes on me. "Don't make me separate the two of you. This is all we got until it warms up again at dawn. Now, do your best to relax and try to get some sleep."

There was silence for a minute. "Alright Jim." Said McCoy finally.

"Good." I replied, as I laid down and curled up into a tight ball, wishing it wasn't so cold. It was quiet again for a long time, and then I heard Spock whisper, "One does not have to call you stupid, Doctor, for sometimes it is blatantly obvious."

McCoy growled, and I sighed, thinking to myself. _It is going to be a __**very**__ long night._


	2. Waiting It Out

**Beta Gamma 24 – 12:03 a.m.**

Less than two hours in the shelter and our situation had not improved by much. I **had **been forced to separate Spock and Bones after about 20 minutes, due to their incessant bickering, and there had been nothing but stony silence since.

As the time went on, the temperature dropped steadily, until I forgot what it was like to be warm. The wind cut through me like a knife, running through my very core. It had even started to snow a little bit, but thankfully our primitive cave was keeping most of the precipitation out.

"Y'all awake?" Bones called out in the darkness, turning over to face us.

"I don't think we ever slept, Bones, to be honest." I replied good-naturedly, though it was very true.

"Affirmative Captain, this temperature is extremely detrimental." Spock's quiet voice added. I chuckled. _Vulcans certainly have a gift for understatement._

"I thought Vulcan's didn't sleep," McCoy noted, and I swear I could hear my First Officer roll his eyes.

"Yes Doctor, Vulcan's prefer a special form of meditation as substitute for sleep, but as this meditation lowers the function rate of the body systems, I found that course of action highly illogical. Conventional sleep does not slow the metabolism or heart rate at all, compared to meditation. It is not my first choice, but I would like to be alive when we are eventually beamed aboard the Enterprise."

"Yeah, yeah you hobgoblin. Just admit that you can't adapt like the 'Vulcan-above-it-all' you claim to be." Mccoy joked.

In the tight quarters, I felt Spock stiffen at my side. "Doctor, do not start an argument you cannot hope to finish." I sighed and nudged McCoy with my elbow.

"Play nice. Let's see if we can get a hold of Scotty." I said, flipping open my communicator.

"Kirk to Enterprise."

"Enterprise here." Uhura answered, her voice music to my ears.

"Lieutenant, how goes the repairs to the ship?"

"Mr. Scott has managed to get the tribble out of the warp core, but it did considerable damage. He estimated they'd finish in about 6 hours."

_6 hours. That's a long time to be out in the cold. _"Lieutenant, send everyone who works Engineering on Beta Shift down to help Scotty and relieve some of Alpha shift. You too, Uhura, we can hold out down here, make sure you get some rest."

"Aye sir, Enterprise out." She replied. I shut my communicator and sighed, curling up into an even tighter ball.

"Captain." Came the even voice of my first officer. I turned over, almost nose to nose with the Vulcan.

"Yes Mr. Spock?"

Although I could barely see anything in the darkness, I watched Spock frown as he said: "We are going to make it back to the ship, aren't we Captain?"

I pressed my lips together and reached forward for Spock's hand, but he abruptly pulled away. I smirked. "We'll be fine Spock, we just have to hold on till morning and hope Scotty gets the repairs done."

There was silence for a moment as I turned back over and I heard Spock say, "A hope, Captain, is not much to go on."


	3. Cuddles

**Beta Gamma 24: 2:17 a.m. **

Time, it seemed, had slowed to a stop. Sleep was out of the question, so I began to pass the time by counting my heartbeats. Each thud allowed me to confirm that I was still alive, for now.

Spock tapped me lightly on the shoulder and I rolled over to face him, hyper-aware of how close we were to each other.

"Captain," he said quietly. "The doctor has not moved in some time..." He left the thought unfinished, and I almost detected a hint of...dare I say it...concern on his face. Without hesitation, I sat up slightly and looked over at Bones. He was still. Very still.

Fighting to control my own worry,, I reached for McCoy's wrist, breathing a great sigh of relief as I found his pulse, steady and strong as ever. I laid back down and turned to Spock. "He's fine Spock, just sleeping. " _The lucky bastard. _I added internally.

Spock gave a slow nod. "Perhaps he is using his extra energy stores to stay warm enough to sleep."

I nodded in agreement, and then did a double take. "Spock," I whispered, drawing his name out. "Did you just call Bones fat?"

I swear Spock almost smiled as he replied. "My apologies Captain, I forget that you humans tie your weight into your self worth." Despite the cold, my First Officer's expression and stoic nonchalance made me laugh.

"Jim." Spock said evenly, making me stop, suddenly serious. _Spock never calls me that. Ever. Except when he..._

"It's getting colder." He observed quietly. I nodded slowly in agreement, meeting his calm gaze with one of my own. "I do not know if my body can withstand these temperatures." He paused for a long moment. "You might have to install another First Officer."

I shook my head violently and wrapped my free arm around Spock. Despite his superior Vulcan strength, he offered no resistance as I pulled him closer, letting his head fall on my chest.

"Like hell I will Spock, you're going to be just fine."

Just then did I feel him trembling.

"Just relax. You're going to be alright. Just try to sleep..." I paused before chocking out the last word.

"Just try to sleep...t'hy'la."

No longer did I have to swear that the Vulcan almost smiled, for he did now, without a doubt, as he melted against me and closed his eyes. Though the wind howled outside, I felt at peace, for the first time in a very long time.


	4. Not So Secret

**Beta Gamma 24 3:20 a.m.**

Spock was resting peacefully in my arms, MCoy was snoring next to me, the wind howled outside, and I was still wide awake. I had lost track of my heartbeats sometime after Spock had fallen asleep, his head restin on my chest. Sighing, I took a closer look at my beloved First Officer. I smiled, admiring his beautiful features; his sharp cheekbones, the high arch of his dark eyebrows, and even his thin lips, wind chapped and tinted green by Vulcan blood, looked so perfect in my eyes.

Ever so gently, I ran my icy fingers down his cheek, caressing him softly. I was frozen to the core, yet a warmth sparked within me, stirring something, sending a rush of ecstasy through my veins. I smiled, then stiffened. It was too quiet.

I glanced up to see McCoy staring at me, his face fixed in the ultimate I-Called-It look. His mouth twisted into the perfect smirk, and I suddenly realized how I must have looked, cuddling my First Officer, my arms wrapped around his, my eyes staring at him with a look that could only be described as longingly.

I swallowed. "Well Bones, I can explain. You see..." He laughed and cut me off. "Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a psychic, but it doesn't take one to watch and put two and two together. But for God's sake, could you at least try to be a **little **more subtle?"

I frowned. "I don't know what you mean by that. We've been nothing but professional towards each other."

He scoffed. "Please, half the crew knows by now." I rolled my eyes. "Really?"

McCoy pulled out his communicator and flipped it open. "McCoy to Enterprise."

"Enterprise here." Lieutenant Uhura replied.

"Uhura, did you know?" McCoy asked.

"Why of course, sir. I knew before they did." He looked at me and smiled, practically gloating. Keeping a hold on Spock, I snatched the communicator from him and barked into it. "Lieutenant I thought I ordered you to get some rest!"

"I know sir, but the shift lines have been somewhat disturbed. Most people have been working around the clock to help repair the damage. We're still fixing things from our last tribble encounter."

I sighed. "Very well, but make an announcement to the crew. I want everyone to have eaten and slept some before morning. That includes you Lieutenant, we can't afford anyone folding on the bridge."

"Aye sir. Mr. Scott reports that the repairs are nearly complete, they should have you beamed up within a few hours."

"Thank you Lieutenant. Kirk out." I snapped the communicator shut and threw it back to Bones. "Happy now?" I asked, since he was still smirking.

"Maybe."

"We still have a few hours. Bones, do you think Spock'll make it?"

Instantly, McCoy's gaze turned clinical. He pulled his tricorder out of his pocket and started running the device over the sleeping Vulcan. "Well, thank God he's only half Vulcan, or he'd be dead by now. The temperature is starting to strain his systems. We have to warm him up somehow."

"How do we do that? We have no heaters, no flares…" I trailed off for a moment, and then an idea hit.

"Bones! Your communicator, couldn't you use its battery to start a fire?"

"It's possible, but I warn you Jim, it's been a while since I was a Boy Scout."

"Just try Bones, we've got to do something."

He nodded, grim faced. "Alright. Wake the hobgoblin up, and keep him talking. The more that green stuff in his veins flows, the warmer he'll be." With that, he crawled out of the shelter and I turned my attention to Spock.

I shook his shoulders gently, trying to stir him. "C'mon Spock, wake up. McCoy's trying to get a fire going. Come on, sit up and talk to me."

It took a minute, but his eyes did open and he sat up, rolling his stiff muscles. "Pardon me Captain, but did I hear you say that Dr. McCoy is attempting to build a fire?"

"Yeah, we need to get you warmed up some." He nodded his agreement. "Yes, if he ends up setting us all on fire, I shall be very warm indeed."

I laughed. _Good old Spock. _"Glad to see your personality hasn't frozen yet."

Spock eyed me quizzically. "Jim, a personality is an abstract term for an abstract human concept. How could one be frozen?"

McCoy laughed outside and I rolled my eyes. _We might make it through this after all. _


	5. Going Home

**Beta Gamma 24- 5:41 a.m.**

Thankfully, Bones did get the fire going, and we all huddled around it, eager to finally receive some sort of heat. The cold wind had let up some, and the icy white sun was just beginning to rise over the tops of the trees.

"Doctor, I assure you, I am quite well. I am no longer in danger of going into hypothermic shock. This intrusive exam is no longer necessary."

McCoy rolled his eyes and snatched Spock's wrist, counting the First Officer's pulse silently. "Would you shut up and let me finish. Just cause you and Jim've been spooning, it doesn't mean you're back to normal. Now keep quiet."

I scoffed and grabbed Spock's hand, and his features softened as a hint of green tinged his cheeks.

Of a sudden, we heard sharp popping sounds. We jumped, pulling our phasers, only to freeze in place. A few more branches snapped, and our poor makeshift shelter finally collapsed. I sighed and put my phaser back on my belt.

Bones sighed and shook his head. "Not like we needed the sleep anyway."

I nodded knowingly. The long night out in the cold had taken its toll on all of us. _God, I need sleep. And a hot shower. And as many sandwiches as I can find._

"T'hy'la." Spock called, squeezing my hand tightly. I looked up, startled.

"You seemed distracted." I smiled. "Just thinking about getting back home."

He raised an eyebrow. "Home, Captain?"

"He means the _Enterprise_, you dense hobgoblin." McCoy joked, giving Spock a light hearted punch on the arm. Spock wheeled around, his eyes narrowing. I grabbed his shoulder tightly, trying to prevent Spock from beating Bones to a pulp. He eased back, and muttered through gritted teeth.

"Then why did the Captain not say that?" I grinned, running my hand lightly down his back. "Because they mean the same thing."

Spock looked confused, and opened his mouth, presumably to ask a question, but was cut off by my communicator beeping.

"_Enterprise_ to Captain. Scott here." The Scotsman said. "Kirk here, give me some good news Scotty."

"Glad to sir. We've fixed the transporter, and we've locked onto your location. We're beamin' a test subject down to make sure everything's ship shape."

I breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Excellent Mr. Scott, you may proceed."

After a few seconds, we saw a shape begin to materialize in the distance. It was too small to be a person, and I wasn't sure what it was. After it had fully formed, we all stood and began to walk towards it. Suddenly, McCoy froze, his jaw dropping. Spock and I stopped, looking at him with concern.

Then we saw what he saw. The small furry creature burrowing into the snow. Scotty had beamed down a tribble.

His face contorting into an expression of fury, Bones let out a scream and started racing toward it, his phaser held high in the air.

Spock and I shared a look before running after him. Being Vulcan, Spock reached him before I did, and I watched as he gripped McCoy's shoulder tight, causing him to pass out and fall to the ground.

I caught up to them, and shot Spock a look. "Did you have to use the nerve pinch on him? You know how much he hates that."

He shrugged and said, "The doctor was emotionally compromised. I thought it to be a logical course of action." I rolled my eyes and pulled out my communicator. "Three to beam up, Mr. Scott."

"Aye sir." He replied, and within a few moments we were back aboard the Enterprise. Back home.

* * *

Following their icy adventure, Kirk declared mandatory rest for all crew members, and the Enterprise sat quietly for a few days, content to enjoy the silence.

Due to the reports of the landing party, the science team decided not to build their outpost on Gamma 24, deciding on a warmer alternative.

Everyone was surprised the first day Captain Kirk and Spock were found holding hands in the hall, but it soon became just another normal part of the ship, although Bones couldn't resist teasing them.

And lastly, Scotty added extra panels around the warp core, to ensure that nothing, not even a tribble, could get in ever again.

The End.


End file.
